Ambivalent aspects of the Goddess in selected examples of contemporary South African women’s art

Abstract:

My research investigates whether the notion of a Goddess is still relevant as a metaphor to contemporary feminist art, both globally and within a South African context. My hypothesis is that the debate between the first and second-generation feminists regarding the relevance of the Goddess to feminism is incomplete. Using critical literary analysis I examine the issues surrounding the debate, exemplified through an analysis of artworks by Ana Mendieta and Tracey Rose. A further aim of my research is to raise critical debate as to whether a multifaceted and contradictory Goddess, such as the Hindu goddess Kālī, is more relevant to the diversity of options suggested by both postmodernism and a multicultural South Africa. Evidence and interpretation of such an ambivalent Goddess is sought in the work of South African artists Claudette Schreuders and Diane Victor. Arguments from texts relevant to the artworks are critically examined, augmented in the case of Schreuders by an interview. The presence of an ambivalent Goddess is developed in my practical work through exploratory research. Assemblages of varying materials have been created to suggest a metaphorical Goddess. Discussion of these artworks reveals that both materials and concepts are inextricably linked and are intended to invite multiple interpretations. By exploring the issue of feminism in a South African context and adding to a general body of knowledge on South African artists, my research contributes to the University of Johannesburg’s niche area Visually Embodying Identity in a Postcolonial Environment.